Only where the shingle manufacturer requires it. South Carolina's version of IRC Section R905.2.8.5 reads, in full: "A drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of asphalt shingle roofs where required by the manufacturer" (2021 SC modification index). The same wording carries into the 2024 code that takes effect January 1, 2027 (2024 index).
Drip edge is the bent metal strip along the roof's edges. It covers the edge of the deck at the eaves (the low edges where gutters hang) and the rakes (the sloped gable ends). Our photo above shows it going on with the underlayment on a Columbia re-roof.
What the national code says
The model IRC is much more specific. In both the 2021 and 2024 editions, Section R905.2.8.5 requires drip edge at eaves and rakes of shingle roofs, and sets out how to install it:
- Adjacent pieces overlap at least 2 inches.
- The drip edge extends at least 1/4 inch below the roof sheathing and at least 2 inches back onto the deck.
- It is nailed to the deck no more than 12 inches apart, using the shingle fasteners of Section R905.2.5.
- Underlayment goes over the drip edge along the eaves and under it along the rakes.
South Carolina strikes that whole paragraph and substitutes the single sentence quoted above. The 2024 index shows the strike-through and the new text, and lists the same change in the 2015, 2018 and 2021 cycles (IRC 2024 35).
Why did South Carolina change it?
The Home Builders Association of South Carolina proposed the change. Its stated reason in the 2024 index is that the rule was impractical and hard to enforce consistently. It adds: "Jurisdictions have had to insert a stand-alone inspection for this one phase of construction in many cases." The Council approved it again for 2024, and it appears as Section 8-1235 of the final regulation in the State Register of May 22, 2026.
What does "where required by the manufacturer" mean for my roof?
It means the shingle maker's installation instructions decide. If the instructions for the shingle on your roof call for drip edge, it is a code requirement on that roof in South Carolina. If they don't, the state code doesn't require it.
The IRC already leans on those instructions elsewhere. Fastener count follows the manufacturer's approved instructions, with a floor of four nails per strip shingle (R905.2.6). Flashing at front walls, vent pipes and chimneys follows the shingle manufacturer's instructions (R905.2.8.4). Both read the same in the 2024 IRC.
The state sentence gives no dimensions. So the laps, nailing and underlayment order come from the manufacturer's instructions, not from the IRC numbers above. A roofer who follows the national IRC detail is still doing more than the state minimum.
Code and warranty are separate questions
The code sets a legal minimum for the permit and inspection. Your shingle warranty has its own terms. Read the warranty document for the product on your roof, and ask your roofer how the edge detail is handled under it.
Does drip edge matter on a re-roof?
Yes, in two ways. First, re-roofing must meet the requirements of Chapter 9, so the manufacturer-based rule applies to a replacement just as it does to a new house (R908.1). Second, Section R908.5 says existing flashings, edgings, outlets, vents or similar devices that are part of the assembly "shall be replaced where rusted, damaged or deteriorated."
That second rule is easy to miss. Old edge metal bent by ladders or rusted at the joints shouldn't be reused under a new roof. Ask whether your quote includes new drip edge, and in what material and color. Edges and gutters work together, which we cover in how gutters protect shingles and roof edges.
Will the 2024 code change anything about drip edge?
Not in South Carolina. The base IRC drip edge text is the same in 2021 and 2024, and the state replaces it with the same sentence in both cycles. Other roof changes do arrive on January 1, 2027, including underlayment and tear-off rules. Our guide to the 2024 residential code covers them, and the underlayment post explains how drip edge and underlayment lap at the eaves.
Questions to ask your roofer
- Does the manufacturer of the shingle you're quoting require drip edge?
- Is new drip edge included at both eaves and rakes, or are you reusing the old metal?
- How will the underlayment lap with the drip edge at the eaves and rakes?
- Which permit office covers my address, and which code edition will the inspection use?
